Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro proposed a state of national exception on September 24th, 2025, citing "external threats" and international pressure on his administration. The announcement, made just before 12:06 AM UTC, follows intensified rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump against Venezuelan drug trafficking networks. Maduro's proposal comes shortly after President Trump's remarks at the UN General Assembly, where he vowed to "erase your existence" from Venezuelan drug trafficking networks. The U.S. has previously asserted that its actions have significantly curtailed maritime drug trafficking from Venezuela. The timing of Maduro's declaration suggests a reaction to these ongoing international pressures and U.S. military posturing, including the recent sighting of the USS Dunham near the Venezuelan coast and the flight path of a U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III. Venezuelan Defense Minister Padrino López had previously accused President Trump of "supremacism" in response to his statements concerning Chavista militias. These exchanges highlight escalating diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The White House has maintained that U.S. actions have significantly curtailed maritime drug trafficking from Venezuela.
